Thunderous cheers echoed throughout the great hall.
"Gendry! Gendry!"
The chants rose like crashing waves, filling every corner of the throne room.
Seated upon the Iron Throne, Gendry slowly surveyed the crowd below.
The High Septon stood among them, his crystal crown glittering beneath the candlelight. Every movement of his head caught the light, making him impossible to ignore.
The Faith of the Seven might be corrupt and ineffective...
But at this moment, that was exactly what Gendry needed.
The former royal courtiers were cheering louder than anyone else.
Only yesterday, they had praised Joffrey as the rightful king.
Today, they hailed Gendry as their savior while condemning Joffrey as a usurper.
Such was the nature of power.
Lords changed their loyalties as quickly as the wind changed direction.
"Long live House Baratheon!"
The loudest voice belonged to Jalabhar Xho, the exiled prince of the Summer Isles.
Dressed in an extravagant feathered cloak, his colorful attire made him resemble an enormous tropical bird preparing to take flight.
Nearby, Shavepate wore an immaculate new jester's costume, spotless and bright as a spring morning.
Lady Tanda and her daughter had exchanged their old clothing for elegant green silk gowns trimmed with luxurious fur.
Even Lord Gyles Rosby had replaced his worn handkerchief with a crimson silk scarf embroidered in gold.
"Among these people are Varys's spies."
Gendry quietly observed everyone.
"Shavepate has probably been gathering information for years."
Besides his infamous Little Birds, Varys also purchased intelligence with generous rewards.
Unfortunately, paid informants could never be completely trusted.
Even now...
Although Varys appeared calm on the surface, he was undoubtedly watching every move with extreme caution.
---
Raising his voice, Gendry addressed the hall.
"By the grace of the gods..."
"The late king left behind his final will, witnessed by Lord Eddard Stark and Ser Barristan Selmy."
"With the support of the High Septon, the assembled lords, and the knights of the realm..."
"I now grant the wishes of the kingdom."
The hall erupted into thunderous applause.
Leaving the throne, Gendry personally greeted each hero who had distinguished themselves during the war.
Members of the Small Council.
His trusted advisors.
His personal squires.
The noble lords.
The brave knights.
The Tyrell brothers.
Ser Robar.
And many others.
Each received a specially crafted golden stag chain.
The pendants had been forged from golden ornaments seized during the wars in Volantis and elsewhere.
Spoils of war should never be wasted.
After all...
Once the blood was washed away, gold remained gold.
---
As Gendry approached, Ser Garlan Tyrell stepped forward.
Unlike his younger brother Loras, Garlan was broader, taller, and carried himself with quiet confidence.
Though handsome in his own right, he lacked the almost legendary beauty for which the Knight of Flowers was famous.
"Your Grace," Garlan began respectfully.
"I have an unmarried sister..."
"Lady Margaery."
"She is the pride of House Tyrell."
"Kind, intelligent, and graceful."
"She has long admired both Your Grace's achievements and Princess Daenerys' beauty."
"She wishes to serve the princess as her lady-in-waiting."
"I humbly ask Your Grace to allow her to come to King's Landing, so that our two great houses may stand together for generations."
Many lords nearby overheard every word.
House Tyrell truly moved quickly.
Not only had they secured a place on the Small Council...
Now they also hoped to place Margaery beside the future queen.
It was an obvious political investment.
Gendry smiled as though hearing the request for the first time.
In reality, Garlan had already mentioned the matter privately.
"Ser Garlan..."
"Lady Margaery's beauty is renowned throughout the Seven Kingdoms."
"However..."
"I should first discuss this with my betrothed, Princess Daenerys."
It was a perfectly reasonable answer.
Sending noble daughters to serve princes and princesses was an ancient custom.
Daenerys still had vacant positions among her attendants.
The Tyrells had simply been the first to ask.
Garlan bowed deeply.
"My deepest thanks, Your Grace."
Gendry stepped forward and helped him to his feet.
The surrounding nobles applauded warmly.
Everyone understood that this was far more than a simple favor.
Serving close to the royal family also meant becoming an honored hostage.
Throughout Westerosi history...
Great houses strengthened alliances through fosterage, squires, cupbearers, companions, and marriages.
Those serving the heir to the throne occupied one of the most prestigious positions imaginable.
The greatest example had been King Aegon V.
Although many of the marriages he arranged for his children ultimately failed politically, they had once united Houses Targaryen, Lannister, Baratheon, Martell, and several other great families.
Even Queen Rhaella, before becoming queen, had been attended by Joanna Lannister and a Dornish princess.
Prince Aerys had grown up beside Tywin Lannister and Steffon Baratheon.
The three had fought together during the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
When Aerys reached adulthood...
It was Tywin who knighted him.
Times changed.
Dynasties rose and fell.
The mighty foundation of House Targaryen had eventually crumbled.
Only hatred remained.
---
Once the cheers gradually subsided, the kingdom's leading nobles took their seats.
Lord Stannis.
Lord Mace Tyrell.
Bronze Yohn Royce.
Lord Selwyn Tarth.
Members of the Small Council occupied the seats below them.
Their sons, together with dozens of young lords and knights, stood proudly beneath the towering windows.
Lord Paxter Redwyne looked especially pleased.
Fortunately...
Cersei's madness had not claimed his second son.
Although Ser Terrance had suffered a leg injury during the battle, he had survived.
That alone was reason to celebrate.
---
Now it was time to reward those whose deeds on the battlefield had changed the course of the war.
Most of them had humble beginnings.
Yet they had become heroes of the Stormlands.
During the Battle of the Blackwater...
Anguy, the legendary archer from the Marches, commanded the archers and devastated the Volantene army.
Lothor Brune, once nothing more than a wandering sellsword, had served as Gendry's shadow on the battlefield.
Charging directly into the enemy spear formations, he slew several Volantene nobles and drew away the enemy's attention, allowing Gendry to defeat the Unsullied.
Ser Guyard Morrigen, serving as a scout, performed with exceptional skill.
The newly allied wildling, Timmy One-Eye, repeatedly warned the army of enemy flanking maneuvers.
Jon Snow fought beside Gendry throughout the battle.
Not only did he cut down countless enemies...
He also defeated a Volantene commander in single combat.
Young knights such as Ser Mortimer Boggs, Ser Robar Royce, Ser Harold Hightower, and several promising warriors from Crackclaw Point also distinguished themselves and earned recognition.
There were countless other heroes as well.
Soldiers from the Reach who slew noble lords.
Stormlanders who captured enemy commanders alive.
Dragonstone warriors who first climbed the walls of King's Landing.
Young squires who risked their lives protecting their masters.
Teenage warriors who killed two fully armed knights in their very first battle.
Some had to be carried forward on stretchers because of their wounds.
Yet each was greeted with thunderous applause.
---
When the heralds finished recounting every heroic deed, Lord Selwyn Tarth rose to address the assembly.
"In this time of national crisis..."
"Each of you has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unwavering loyalty."
"His Grace has therefore decided to reward every worthy warrior."
He unfolded a royal decree.
"By command of His Grace..."
"Ser Mortimer Boggs is appointed Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing."
"Lothor Brune shall serve as his deputy."
"Anguy and Lothor Brune are hereby elevated to the rank of knight and granted lordship."
"They shall each receive lands, castles, and all accompanying rights within the Stormlands, the Crownlands, or along the Trident."
"Ser Guyard Morrigen..."
"Jon Snow..."
"Harold Hightower..."
"Ser Robar Royce..."
"Ser Mychel Redfort..."
"And Timmy One-Eye..."
"Are all appointed as personal squires to His Grace."
"Harold Hightower is also elevated to knighthood."
"Every other brave soldier shall receive a silver-hilted spear, newly forged chainmail, a full visored helm, and the right to choose any warhorse from the royal stables."
"Those still underage shall be knighted immediately upon reaching adulthood."
"As for the knights who gave their lives in battle..."
"Their eldest sons shall serve House Baratheon as squires."
"Their younger sons shall become royal cupbearers."
"If they remain loyal and worthy..."
"They too shall one day become knights."
"This decree has been approved by His Grace, the Hand of the King, and the Small Council."
---
The hall erupted once more.
Anguy's face turned as red as his hair.
He could barely contain his excitement.
Lord Selwyn smiled.
"Ser Lothor."
"Ser Anguy."
"Have you chosen your family names and where you wish to build your castles?"
Lothor Brune answered first.
"We choose the southern bank of the Blackwater Rush, close to His Grace."
Although he could have returned to Crackclaw Point in triumph...
Home no longer held the same meaning.
Besides...
The people of Crackclaw Point had already been among Gendry's earliest supporters.
There was no need to compete for additional rewards there.
Anguy quickly nodded.
"So do I."
"As for my house..."
"I'll simply be House Archer."
"Our words shall be..."
'Our Arrows Follow the Heart.'
"The rest..."
"I'll figure out later."
Gendry smiled and nodded.
Strong castles along the Blackwater and the Trident would become vital defenses for the kingdom.
The assembled knights applauded both men.
In these chaotic times...
Destiny could change overnight.
Yesterday they had been ordinary soldiers.
Today...
They had become landed lords.
---
The captains of the royal fleet stepped forward next.
Throughout the war they had maneuvered skillfully and performed beyond expectation.
Although the royal fleet itself had suffered devastating losses during the Battle of the Blackwater...
Their courage had not gone unrewarded.
By the end of the day...
Nearly nine hundred additional men would be raised to knighthood.
The list had already been finalized.
Ser Barristan Selmy would personally perform the ceremonies.
Following ancient tradition, every new knight would spend the night in prayer inside the Great Sept of Baelor.
At dawn...
Barefoot and dressed in simple undyed wool robes, they would walk through King's Landing as a sign of humility before receiving their swords.
The ceremony would last well into the following day.
The Kingsguard itself had grown painfully small.
Ser Mandon Moore was dead.
Ser Arys Oakheart remained abroad.
Jaime Lannister was still in the Westerlands.
Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Osmund Kettleblack had died alongside Joffrey.
Ser Boros Blount was gone.
Only a handful remained.
Even so...
No one complained.
The reward ceremony had exceeded everyone's expectations.
The greatest prizes...
The vast lands of House Lannister and the holdings surrounding Harrenhal...
Had yet to be distributed.
Those rewards would come later.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)